The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for spraying fuel within a gas turbine engine, especially for spraying fuel within an afterburner of a jet engine. However, certain applications for the present invention may be outside of this field.
Some gas turbine engines have a need for increased thrust. One method of increasing thrust includes the injection and burning of fuel downstream of the low pressure turbine of the engine, in a method known variously as reheat, augmentation, or afterburning. Two features of the augmentor of a gas turbine engine are the fuel spraybar assemblies and flameholders, the spraybars spraying fuel into the flowpath of the engine, and the flameholders stabilizing the flame in the engine. Another feature of the afterburner is the augmentation fuel control system which should be capable of fuel metering from very low to very high fuel flow rates.
There is a continuing need for improvements to afterburning within gas turbine engines. The present invention provides novel and unobvious methods and apparatus for improvements to afterburners.